Eternal Darkness
Eternal Darkness is the eleventh episode of the eighth season of Once Upon a Time, and the 166th episode overall. It was preceded by Reversal and followed by Sleepy Hollow Skirmish. Plot Past In the Wish Realm, Wish Regina and Wish Maleficent live in peace, long after losing Wish Zelena. To their surprise, however, Wish Zelena arrives in need of help. Wish Regina and Wish Maleficent reluctantly hear her out; the green woman reveals that she had attempted to relocate to Oz after a long time on the run, but it had been destroyed by Carabosse, the Dire Fairy - a wicked being who wants to take over all realms with her equally wicked son Caradoc. Wish Maleficent reveals a deep dark secret; Carabosse is her mother. The trio decide that if anyone’s going to take over the realms, it’s them. Wish Zelena clearly still despises Wish Regina, but they have both put the past behind them to some extent. The three call upon Wish Pan, Wish Cruella and Wish Ursula for back-up. The Wish Villains, amidst their bickering, learn that Wish Cruella has become immortal after becoming the new ‘maid’ of Wish Rumplestiltskin. Eventually, the six come up with a plan; use Wish Maleficent’s blood to track down Carabosse. They locate her at a portal deep in the Infinite Forest. Carabosse belittles them, stating that their entire existence is a lie; they are merely the product of a wish made 23 years in the future. They disregard this statement, and Carabosse reveals that if she could overthrow her sister, the powerful Black Fairy, then she can overpower the Wish Villains with immense ease. She vanishes through the portal to prepare her plans to take over Fairy Tale Land and possibly find other realms that are unheard of by even her. The six Wish Villains later use a spell to summon Caradoc. He arrives at the Evil Queen’s palace via portal, where he is distracted by his sister Wish Maleficent. The others, thanks to the diversion, travel through the portal to locate Carabosse. Caradoc and his sister have an epic duel, and when Wish Maleficent overpowers him, Caradoc admits that he has a son born many years that he lost before he became his mother’s forced servant; Diaval. Wish Maleficent sympathises with him for she lost a child too, but Caradoc reveals that his child is pure and he wants to kill him for this reason to keep evil blood in his family. He offers to make an aliance with her, but she rejects him. Wish Maleficent quickly acts during her brother’s moment of weakness; she banishes Carabosse and Caradoc to the Room of Despair, a secret location outside of time. Enraged, Caradoc uses his magic to summon the other five Wish Villains to the palace, and locks them in there with magic only he can undo (however, the forging of the United Realms by very powerful light magic later undoes the spell) before he is locked away. Present Regina and Mulan hear Moana’s warning. Regina begs Moana to try to use the Dark One Dagger to stop the potential Seventh Curse, however Mulan does not think that they should further darken Moana’s heart. Unfortunately for her, Moana agrees. She teleports to Wish Regina’s palace and holds up the dagger. Wish Regina laughs and insults the girl, but Moana is determined. Evanora watches in shock as light magic surrounds the dagger, and suddenly the curse shrivels away into thin air. Moana teleports away. Wish Regina is furious that her chance at a happy ending has been taken from her. Evanora rips out her heart and preprares to crush it, but decides to turn the Queen into her peasant little “munchkin”. Meanwhile, Moana returns to Regina and Mulan, revealing the good news. They celebrate, and call Alice and Robin to inform them, too. That night, at Granny’s Diner, Zelena and Chad arrive to join for dinner with Regina, Mulan, Alice, Robin, Henry, Ella, Lucy, Emma and Hope. Emma bonds with Lucy, while Henry spends some more time with Hope. Gideon is frantically driving back to Storybrooke in an attempt to hide from Wish Pan and Wish Cruella. He arrives and finds all the heroes in Granny’s Diner; he reminds them that there are still more Wish Villains out there. Wish Cruella drives her and Wish Pan towards the town line to stop Gideon, before noticing that Wish Pan’s age is catching up with him, and he dies right there. Wish Cruella is bewildered; she decides to return to Wish Zelena in her farmhouse. The women met up, where Wish Zelena bitterly announces her half-sister’s failure. Wish Cruella gasps; this is worse than it seems. Being more ‘cooperative’ than Wish Regina, Evanora decides to try and resurrect Maui so that they can get their revenge on Zelena together. Evanora confronts Moana and forcefully the dagger; she teleports them (and Wish Regina) to the entrance to the Underworld. Wish Regina pleas her to cast the Dark Curse, but Evanora ignores her new servant and orders for Charon to bring Maui. Moments later, Maui is brought to the land of the living, but cannot stay. He reunites tearfully with Moana, while Wish Regina tries to tell Evanora that a great evil will be unleashed if the Dark Curse isn’t cast. Evanora doesn’t listen, and summons the remaining two Wish Villains; Wish Cruella and Wish Zelena. Wish Cruella is branded by the Mark of Charon, and therefore she dies and Maui is restored completely to life. At Wish Regina’s Palace, meanwhile, a locked room suddenly opens; a new evil has arrived. Characters (in order of appearance) * Evil Queen * Mulan * Moana * Evil Queen (Wish Realm) * Wicked Witch of the East * Maleficent (Wish Realm) * Wicked Witch of the West (Wish Realm) * Wicked Witch of the West * Chad Verum * Granny * Alice Jones * Robin Hood, Jr. * Henry Mills * Cinderella (New Enchanted Forest) * Lucy Mills * Emma Swan * Hope Jones * Peter Pan (Wish Realm) * Cruella De Vil (Wish Realm) * Ursula (Wish Realm) * Carabosse * Gideon * Caradoc (first appearance) * Charon * Maui Timeline * The past events take place after Snow White and Prince Charming briefly wake during the First Curse in Awake and before Emma meets Lily in Breaking Glass. Category:Season 8 episodes Category:Once Upon a Time episodes